New chief communications officer announced

Kyla KruseI am very pleased to announce that Kyla Kruse is the college’s new chief communications officer. She has been at the college since 2017, most recently serving as director, communications. Her career has also included communications, marketing and media roles at the Energy Education Council and University of Illinois. Kyla has been an integral member of LLCC’s Public Relations and Marketing team, active in college committees and teams, and an accomplished member of the National Council for Marketing and Public Relations. The experience, skills and leadership she brings to this role will undoubtedly serve our students and the college well. Please join me in congratulating Kyla!

Dr. Charlotte Warren, President

United Way campaign begins Monday; message from Dr. Warren

United Way logo. United Way of Central Illinois.Together, we help people in need. Together, we create better tomorrows.

LLCC will officially launch its annual United Way campaign Monday, Oct. 23, although the online giving form is open now. Please consider a gift to United Way of Central Illinois.

United Way works to address the basic needs, education, financial stability and health of every person in our community. Your gift will be spread among local social service agencies, or you can designate your gift to one or more favorite charities.

LLCC supports United Way and makes payroll deduction available to employees. You may also make an outright gift via credit card or check.

Learn more about United Way and make your pledge on the LLCC United Way donation page. Read about the work of your local United Way in LincIn over the next two weeks.

Thank you,
President Charlotte Warren, Ph.D.

Dr. Jason Dockter and Shanda Byer approved as vice presidents

I am very happy to announce that Dr. Jason Dockter and Shanda Byer were both approved to drop their interim titles and serve as vice president of academic services and vice president of student services, respectively.  Both are familiar faces who have filled multiple positions at the college, and both stepped into interim roles without hesitation when asked to help move the college forward.  I know they will continue to be a tremendous asset to the college and play integral roles in the future.  Please join me in congratulating both Jason and Shanda!

Dr. Charlotte Warren, President

Spring Fling, May 5

LLCC President Charlotte Warren invites you to a special end-of-year celebration Friday, May 5, 4-6 p.m. in the Helen Hamilton Area.

President Charlotte Warren invites you to: Spring Fling for faculty and staff. Friday, May 5, 2023, 4-6 p.m. Helen Hamilton Area (outside Student Union). Food, beverages, games, music. Let's celebrate the end of the school year and successful reaccreditation! Lincoln Land Community College.

Funeral arrangements announced for Dr. Robert Poorman, LLCC founding president

Funeral arrangements for Dr. Robert Poorman, President Emeritus of LLCC, have been announced. Visitation will be Monday, April 10 from 4-7 p.m. at Staab Funeral Home, 1109 S. Fifth St., Springfield. Funeral Mass will be Tuesday, April 11, 10 a.m. at Christ the King Church, 1930 Barberry Dr., Springfield. Following a luncheon in the church hall, burial will be at 1 p.m. in Calvary Cemetery, 2000 N. First St., Springfield.

Memorials are suggested to the LLCC Foundation.

Dr. Poorman, LLCC’s founding president, passed away Sunday, April 2. Read the obituary. Read about Dr. Poorman’s legacy at LLCC.

Flags at LLCC are flying at half-staff in honor of Dr. Poorman through April 11.

Passing of LLCC’s Founding President

Photo of Dr. Robert PoormanDr. Robert Poorman, President Emeritus of Lincoln Land Community College, passed away Sunday, April 2. Read the obituary. 

Visitation will be Monday, April 10, 4-7 p.m. at Staab Funeral Home in Springfield. Funeral Mass will be Tuesday, April 11, 10 a.m. at Christ the King Church in Springfield. Burial in Calvary Cemetery in Springfield. Memorials are suggested to the LLCC Foundation.

Dr. Poorman was the college’s founding president, starting his position on Dec. 1, 1967 and retiring on Aug. 31, 1988. According to “Fifty Forward! The First 50 Years of Lincoln Land Community College,” by Dr. Betty Workman, “One of the first duties of the founding board was to hire a college president who would lead the creation of a comprehensive college with the mission as delineated in the Community College Act. They believed they found the ideal candidate, Dr. Robert L. Poorman, at Bakersfield College, Calif., where he was dean of students. … His vision was that a community college must be true to the comprehensive mission.”

Dr. Poorman oversaw the construction of the interim and permanent LLCC campuses. “In June 1968, a 10-acre site was leased for the interim campus where temporary buildings provided classroom space for several years. While the buildings were being constructed, Dr. Poorman also started searching locally and nationally for faculty and administrators to staff the new college. He said his goal was to ‘find people who are knowledgeable, care about students and are interested in serving their communities.'” Doors of the temporary campus opened Sept. 23, 1968. By December 1974, all on-campus college operations had been moved to the new buildings on the permanent campus site.

Over the years of Dr. Poorman’s presidency, academic and career programs, athletics, fine arts, student groups and services for children through senior citizens expanded. LLCC was one of the first colleges in the nation to be recognized for its coordinated energy conservation program that began in 1975, and in 1978, Dr. Poorman announced a change in summer work hours to conserve energy, which continues today. In 1980,  he welcomed President Jimmy Carter to campus to deliver a major address on energy conservation.

At the time of his retirement, Dr. Poorman held the state record as the longest, actively serving community college president in Illinois. He was described at his retirement as a “forward-looking leader and innovator in creating the college and encouraging everyone to think ahead and plan.” He demonstrated a “philosophy of caring and a commitment to his community and family clearly reflected by his actions.”

Dr. Poorman’s legacy lives on at LLCC. We extend our sympathy to his family, friends and associates.

LLCC’s HLC accreditation approved!

Accredited. Higher Learning Commission. Verify Status Here. 20 MAR 2023.I want to thank all of you for your work that has continued to move this college forward and the work that we do for students, and especially those who contributed to the actual document and participated in meetings with the accreditation team. Finally a super LOUD shout out to Dr. Tricia Kujawa, assistant vice president, institutional research and effectiveness, for her steady hand and guidance in getting us across the finish line! – Dr. Charlotte Warren, LLCC President

The letter of approval is below:

Higher Learning Commission logo. 230 South LaSalle Street, Suite 7-500, Chicago, IL 60604, 312.263.0456, 800.621.7440, fax: 312.263.7462, hlccommision.org
March 3, 2023
Dr. Charlotte Warren
President
Lincoln Land Community College
5250 Shepherd Rd.
Springfield, Illinois 62794-9256

Dear President Warren:
This letter serves as formal notification and official record of action taken concerning Lincoln Land Community College by the Institutional Actions Council of the Higher Learning Commission at its meeting on February 27-28, 2023. The date of this action constitutes the effective date of the institution’s new status with HLC.

Action. IAC concurred with the evaluation findings and voted to affirm the institution’s eligibility to select the Standard or Open Pathway for reaffirmation of accreditation.

In taking this action, the IAC considered materials from the most recent evaluation and the institutional response (if applicable) to the evaluation findings.

Attached to this letter is information on selecting and declaring a pathway within the timeline provided. The materials include links to information on the Standard and Open Pathways. HLC does not make public an institution’s Pathway determination or selection. Institutions’ Pathway designations will not appear on the Institutional Status and Requirements Report.

If you have any questions about the institution’s transition to a pathway, please contact Tom Bordenkircher, the institution’s staff liaison. Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely,
Barbara Gellman-Danley
President